Metadata role-based view generation in multimedia editing systems and methods therefor

ABSTRACT

Systems and methods for automatic transformation the overall metadata associated with the multimedia content (MMC) at the global media hub (GMH) into unique role-and-client-based views via the network for review through the media access node (MAN) associated with the client, wherein those views of the metadata, general or temporal or subset, are unique and specific to each user in the context of that user&#39;s role within the client.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to systems and methods for editingmultimedia content, and more particularly, to systems and methods forediting multimedia content, including on demand, web-services basedediting of multimedia content over a distributed system connected by anetwork providing media as a service (MaaS).

2. Description of the Relevant Art

It is generally known in the art to provide video editing systems andmethods having a server computer and remote user terminals whereincontent stored on the server computer is edited via the remote userterminals, based on inputs from users active thereon. It is alsogenerally known in the art to manage, edit, and create digital contentsuch as text, email, music, video, digital images, and combinationsthereof from remote terminals through a network, such as the Internet,to a server computer. While the speed and bandwidth of datacommunication over the Internet has increased over time, large contentitems, such as streaming video, animation, and full-length moviesrequire higher download and upload times than other digital content. Itis also known to provide video editing systems that provide for multipleremote users to access the same content from a server computer andcontent database via a network, such as the Internet; version managementsystems and methods are also known.

By way of example of relevant art documents:

US Patent Application Publication No. 20100014826 for Video editingsystem, video editing server, and communication terminal published onJan. 21, 2010; describes a video editing platform and server that allowsmultiple terminals to connect to the server to edit the same file at thesame time, including editing on the server without loading theterminals, wherein the terminals transmit commands from a predeterminedset to the server, which are then processed by the server to effectediting of a video file.

US Patent Application Publication No. 20090150947 for Online search,storage, manipulation and delivery of video content published on Jun.11, 2009; describes a system that includes a central hub for managementof user's video content, allowing users to add, delete, view,categorize, search, send, receive, edit, and comment on stored videocontent.

US Patent Application Publication No. 20020116716 for Online videoeditor published on Aug. 22, 2002; discloses methods running on a serveroperating on a network having a client/server architecture to allow aclient control over a video editor program running on the server,including a video editing program running on a server, allowing users tochoose media available on the server or upload media to the server andallowing users to control the video editor program to create a videofile using a real time control panel view (from a remote terminal userinterface).

More particular to user-related metadata access, the following patentdocuments may be relevant:

U.S. Pat. No. 6,871,231, US Pub. No. 2002/0088000, US Pub. No.2007/0061324, all for Role based access to image metadata/Controlledaccess to image metadata, describing a method of limiting access to theimage metadata based on roles of the user. Access privileges areassigned to each of the roles wherein the user can modify the metadatabased on the access privilege of the user's role. User Ids are assignedto individual metadata elements and user id is used to determine theuser's role. The list includes roles assigned to each metadata elementand its access privileges. The request for access to image metadata isdenied if the role assigned to the user does not match any of the rolesassigned to the metadata elements. Further includes the step of denyingthe request if access privileges assigned to the user do not match theaccess privilege assigned to the metadata.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,871,231 for System and method for retrieving documentsresponsive to a given user's role and scenario; it describes a documentretrieval system and method used to retrieve documents based on theuser's role and scenario. Here retrieval defines a scenario or user'srole in terms of tags and values and retrieves a document with a givenrange of corresponding metadata.

US Pub. No. 2008/0126953 for Method and system for role-based display ofdocument renditions for webconferencing, describing a system and methodto display renditions of a document to the participants in a webconference based on the participants roles. The metadata here comprisesof speaker notes.

US Pub. No. 2009/0063540 for Method and system for attaching ownershipto data; US Pub. No. 2009/0012987 for Method and system for deliveringrole-appropriate policies; and US Pub. No. 2007/0233680 for Autogenerating reports based on metadata.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to multimedia content editing and creationof derivative works using systems including at least one remote servercomputer associated with at least one client for editing and creatingmultimedia content, the at least one remote server computer constructedand configured in electronic communication over a network to a globalmedia hub server computer having software operable thereon to controlthe orchestration of processes that act on the multimedia content.

It is an object of this invention to provide methods for editingmultimedia content (MMC) and creating derivative works from multimediacontent and for using metadata for multimedia content in a network-basedediting system including the steps of: method for using metadata formultimedia content in a network-based editing system, the systemcomprising at least one remote media asset node (MAN) server computerassociated with at least one client for editing a multimedia content(MMC), the at least one remote MAN having a server computer constructedand configured in electronic communication over a network to a globalmedia hub (GMH) including a GMH server computer having a processor, amemory, and software operable thereon to control the processes that acton the MMC, the GMH operable for storing all metadata associated withthe MMC, and the MAN operable for storing all MMC for editing by aclient through a client user interface (UI), the method steps including:(a) providing metadata at the GMH corresponding to a multiplicity of MMCunits; (b) automatically transforming the metadata for the given MMCinto a multiplicity of metadata subsets, including at least a primarymetadata subset, and a second metadata subset, wherein the primarymetadata subset and the second metadata subset are different, and arecoupled to predetermined different user roles at the client; (c)receiving a request into the GMH via the network from a first userhaving a first role at a client; and (d) the GMH automaticallytransforming and grouping metadata into a role-based view of themetadata that is unique to the first user role. Preferably, the uniquerole-based view of the metadata corresponds to each client>user>role, asdefined by the client and stored at the GMH.

In another aspect of the present invention, the methods further includethe steps of (e) providing an overall metadata at the GMH for a givenMMC; and (f) automatically transforming the overall metadata for a givenMMC into a multiplicity of metadata subsets, including at least aprimary metadata subset, and a second metadata subset, wherein theprimary metadata subset and the second metadata subset are different,and are coupled to predetermined different user roles at each client, asdefined by the client and stored at the GMH. Additional steps include:(g) the GMH receiving a request via the MAN from a first user having afirst role at a client; and (h) automatically generating at the GMH andtransmitting a primary view via the network for review by the client,the primary view based on matching the first user's role at the client,the primary view being unique to the first role associated with thefirst user at the client, and the primary view including the primarymetadata subset only, thereby providing a unique view of the metadatacorresponding to the role of the user at the client. Reportingfunctionality is also included in preferred embodiments of the presentinvention.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a system for editingmultimedia content (MMC) including at least one remote media asset node(MAN) having MAN server computer(s) associated with at least one clientfor editing MMC, the at least one remote MAN constructed and configuredin electronic communication over a network to a global media hub (GMH)including GMH server computer(s) having software operable thereon tocontrol the orchestration of processes that act on the MMC, and the GMHoperable for storing unique identifiers as metadata associated with theMMC and the GMH operable for controlling all MAN services acting on theMMC, with the MMC being stored at the MANs; a browser-based userinterface on a display at the client coupled to the at least one remoteMAN via the network, the MAN(s) being associated with a client andpositioned in geographic proximity to the client, operable for acting onMMC at the MAN(s) for editing the MMC over the distributed system.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a system and methodfor a media as a service (MaaS) to at least manipulate and distributemultimedia content (MMC) with the associated trans-coding, storage andmetadata residing or being performed on a web platform.

It is an aspect of this invention to provide methods for automaticallytransforming metadata associated with editing multimedia content (MMC)and creating derivative works from multimedia content, the metadatabeing transformed into unique views for each different user role at aclient.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a method for editingmultimedia content and creating derivative works from multimedia contentand providing role-based metadata views associated with the content, themethod including the steps of: (a) providing a system including at leastone remote media asset node (MAN) associated with at least one clientfor editing multimedia content (MMC), the at least one remote MANconstructed and configured in electronic communication over a network toa global media hub (GMH) including a server computer having a processor,a memory, and software operable thereon to control the processes thatact on the MMC at the MAN(s), and the GMH operable for storing theoverall metadata associated with the MMC; (b) from a user interface on adisplay coupled to at least one remote MAN server computer associatedwith a client site and positioned in geographic proximity to the clientsite, injecting the MMC at the at least one remote MAN, while leavingthe metadata stored at the GMH; (c) editing the MMC at the client via abrowse copy provided by the at least one remote MAN; (d) generating anedited metadata stored at the GMH, the edited metadata associated withand corresponding to the edited MMC, which is stored at the MAN; (f)receiving a request via the MAN by a first user having a first role at aclient to review metadata for the MMC; (g) verifying authorization ofthe first user based on the first role at the client to review themetadata for the MMC; and (h) automatically transforming the metadatafor generating a primary metadata view associated with the MMC based onthe first role, wherein the primary metadata view is unique to the firstrole. Preferably the methods provide for automatic generation of 1 to Nmetadata views showing N unique metadata subsets that correspond to Nroles of users at the client.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide systems forediting multimedia content (MMC) and creating derivative works frommultimedia content having metadata associated with the MMC, the systemincluding at least one remote MAN including server computer(s), each MANbeing associated with at least one client for editing MMC stored at theMAN, the at least one remote MAN constructed and configured inelectronic communication over a network to a global media hub (GMH)including GMH server computer(s) having a software program operablethereon to control the processes that act on the MMC, and the GMHoperable for storing all metadata associated with the MMC; from a userinterface (UI) on a display coupled to the at least one remote MANserver computer associated with a client and positioned in geographicproximity to the client site, operable for generating a browse copy MMCfrom the original MMC stored at one of the remote MAN server computersfrom the GMH server computer for editing the MMC thereon, and furtherincluding a multiplicity of metadata subsets that are automaticallygenerated when MMC subsets are used in edited MMC and introduced to thesystem, and all metadata being stored by the GMH for presentation ofunique metadata views that correspond to different roles of users at aclient.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a system and methodfor a media as a service (MaaS) to at least manipulate and distributemultimedia content (MMC) with the associated trans-coding, storage andmetadata residing or being performed on a web platform. Advantageouslythis MaaS system and method provides on-demand services to MAN locationsthat have demand production users who need to share content with theircustomers and suppliers; demand from broadcast users looking to exploitthe benefits of distributed collaborative working; demand from postproduction users who need to share content with their customers andsuppliers; and opportunity users of the platform, or aggregators who canlease or rent the platform, for the owner of purchased rights andreformats for region.

These objects and other aspects of the present invention will becomeapparent to those skilled in the art after a reading of the followingdetailed description of the preferred embodiments of the presentinvention, when considered with the drawings, as they support theclaimed invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating one embodiment of the presentinvention, showing the global media hub server computer and componentsthereof, the media asset node (MAN) server computer and componentsthereof, and web services provided thereby, via an Internet connectionbetween the remotely located GMH and MAN server computers, for providingthe system and methods according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic flow diagram illustrating one embodiment of thepresent invention, showing the global media hub server computer andcomponents thereof, the media asset node (MAN) server computer andcomponents thereof, and web services provided thereby, via an Internetconnection between the remotely located GMH and MAN server computers,for providing the system and methods according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating components of the system forproviding web-based multimedia editing and media asset storage,according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating functional components of thesystems and methods of the present invention, showing global media hubserver computer enabling components, core framework, media storage andprocessing, and an operational services layer.

FIG. 5 is another schematic diagram illustrating a distributed systemhaving a global media hub server computer and a multiplicity of remotemedia asset node (MAN) server computers and client or customer computersor terminals.

FIG. 6 is a flow diagram illustrating the workflow and relationalactivities between the global media hub (GMH), the media asset node(MAN), client browser on a client computer, and external activitiesand/or data sources.

FIG. 7 is a flow diagram illustrating the processes of sending media toCraft Editor showing steps associated with creating the work order forprocessing by the system of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a flow diagram illustrating the processes of sending mediafrom Craft Editor showing steps associated with automatically processingto import the media asset or content, or edited multimedia content (MMC)by the system of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring now to the drawings in general, the illustrations are for thepurpose of describing a preferred embodiment of the invention and arenot intended to limit the invention thereto.

The present invention provides systems and methods for editingmultimedia content, and more particularly, to systems and methods forediting multimedia content, including remote editing terminals inelectronic communication over a network with a server computer thataddress and overcome problems associated with prior art online videoediting systems and methods. Examples of problems associated with priorart include slow download and real-time editing video content remotelyfrom the server computer whereupon the video content is stored. Also,problems associated with content digital rights management trackingexist in the prior art, since metadata associated with the video contentis not connected with the content after editing or derivative workscreated from the original video content components (or subcomponents)that were included in the video content itself.

More particularly, the present invention provides multimedia contentediting and creation of derivative works from the content using systemsincluding at least one remote media access node (MAN) includingcorresponding server computers associated with at least one client forediting and creating multimedia content (MMC), the at least one remoteserver computer constructed and configured in electronic communicationover a network to a global media hub (GMH) server computer havingsoftware operable thereon to control the orchestration of processes thatact on the multimedia content, and wherein the MMC has metadataassociated with it, the MMC being stored on the MAN and all workflows onthe MMC being controlled by the GMH, and all metadata being stored onthe GMH and viewable by clients over a network by authorized usershaving predetermined roles at each client. These methods and systems areoperable for automatically transforming metadata associated with editingmultimedia content (MMC), the metadata being transformed into uniqueviews for each different user role at a client corresponding to eachclient>user>role, as defined by the client and stored at the GMH.

In the case of web services based inputs by the client to the system,the inputs relating to the configurable role-based metadata rulesfollowed by the GMH, then the inputs move directly to the GMH from theclient; if those inputs are received by the system via the client UI,then the input moves into the system via the MAN, since the UI proxyassociated with the MAN sits closer to the client.

The role-based metadata rules are configurable by each client and storedat the GMH; for each client there are corresponding users, those usershave roles. The users and roles are predetermined by the client andupdatable by the client, and are stored at the GMH after thoseclient-based inputs are received by the system. Also, based on the role,the inputs received into the system from the client describe whatpermissions access to assets (or MMC) and for metadata each user andeach role have; thus, the hierarchy governing the rules used by the GMHfor controlling the metadata role-based views are provided from clientinto the GMH. Therefore, the systems and methods of the presentinvention relating to the role-based metadata views and reportsautomatically generated by the GMH are configurable based on the clientinputs, so that every role has a different view.

The present invention provides methods for using metadata for multimediacontent in a network-based editing system, the system including at leastone remote media asset node (MAN) including MAN server computer(s)associated with at least one client for editing and creating amultimedia content (MMC), the at least one remote MAN constructed andconfigured in electronic communication over a network to a global mediahub (GMH) including GMH server computer(s) having a processor, a memory,and software operable thereon to control the processes that act on theMMC, and the GMH operable for storing all metadata associated with theMMC, while MMC is stored at the MANs; the method steps including: (a)providing an overall metadata at the GMH for a given MMC; (b)automatically transforming the overall metadata for a given MMC into amultiplicity of metadata subsets, including at least a primary metadatasubset, and a second metadata subset, wherein the primary metadatasubset and the second metadata subset are different, and are coupled topredetermined different user roles at each client; (c) receiving arequest via a client web-based user interface (UI) from a first userhaving a first role at a client; and (d) generating at the GMH andtransmitting a primary view of metadata via the network for reviewthrough the MAN associated with the client based on matching the firstuser's first role at the client, the primary view being unique to thefirst role associated with the first user at the client, and the primaryview including the primary metadata subset only, thereby providing aunique view of the metadata corresponding to the role of the user at theclient.

In one embodiment, the present invention provides methods for editingmultimedia content and creating derivative works from multimedia contentand providing role-based metadata views associated with the content, themethod including the steps of: (a) providing a system including at leastone remote media asset node (MAN) including MAN server computer(s)associated with at least one client for editing multimedia content(MMC), the at least one remote MAN constructed and configured inelectronic communication over a network to a global media hub (GMH)including GMH server computer(s) each having a processor, a memory, andsoftware operable thereon to control the workflow and processes that acton the MMC, which are stored at the MAN(s), and the GMH operable forstoring all metadata associated with the MMC; (b) from a user interfaceon a display coupled to the at least one remote MAN associated with aclient site and positioned in geographic proximity to the client site;(c) editing a browse copy of the MMC based on an original MMC stored atthe at least one remote MAN server computer; (d) generating an editedmetadata corresponding to the edited MMC for metadata storage at the GMHwhen the edited MMC is introduced to the system; (e) receiving a requestvia the UI by a first user having a first role at a client to reviewmetadata for the MMC; (g) verifying authorization of the first userbased on the first role at the client to review the metadata for theMMC; and (h) automatically transforming the metadata at the GMH forgenerating a primary metadata view associated with the MMC based on thefirst role, wherein the primary metadata view is unique to the firstrole. Preferably the methods provide for automatic generation of 1 to Nmetadata views showing N unique metadata subsets that correspond to Nroles of users at the client.

Also, the present invention provides systems for editing multimediacontent (MMC) and creating derivative works from multimedia contenthaving metadata associated with the content, the system including atleast one remote MAN including MAN server computer(s) associated with atleast one client for editing MMC, the at least one remote MANconstructed and configured in electronic communication over a network toa global media hub (GMH) including GMH server computer(s) having asoftware program operable thereon to control the processes that act onthe MMC, and the GMH operable for storing all metadata associated withthe MMC; from a user interface (UI) at the client on a display coupledto the GMH and the at least one remote MAN associated with a client andpositioned in geographic proximity to the client site, operable forallowing client editing of the browse copy of the MMC stored at the MAN,and further including a multiplicity of metadata subsets that areautomatically generated and stored at the GMH for presentation of uniquemetadata views that correspond to different roles of users at a client.

In embodiments and the following examples and figures illustrating thepresent invention systems and methods, there are two main elementsoperable in concert over a distributed network to transform multimediacontent into edited and/or repurposed content: a global media hub (GMH)and at least one media asset node (MAN). The global media hub (GMH) isthe core of the system, having the core applications thereon that driveworkflows, orchestrate services, manage metadata, and provide secure andcontrolled access to the multimedia content stored on the GMH forediting and repurposing. The orchestration layer provides for a set ofworkflows or work orders to be organized in a series of differentprocesses and/or tasks to provide an end-to-end workflow for the MMCediting services. The GMH assembles low level services at the MAN in alogic-based order that is predetermined, or created within a work orderbased on client inputs. Examples of work orders include the functions ofingest and transcode, and subcomponents of work orders. Examples oforchestrated services include: import process>grab essence>create browsecopy>create thumbnails or series of thumbnails>save in storage; publishcontent from deep storage>transcode>move to publishing point via FTP.

The GMH includes at least one GMH server computer having a memory, aprocessor, input/output devices, a power supply, all constructed,configured and coupled to be operable for software installed thereon,and for interactivity via a network for storing, controlling, sendingand receiving data, as is known to one of ordinary skill in the art, andfurther includes an user interface associated with the GMH controllerserver computer and database(s) having multimedia content (MMC) andcorresponding metadata associated with the MMC stored thereon, andsoftware installed and operable on the GMH server computer functioningto control the orchestration of processes that act on the MMC andcorresponding metadata, which are stored in memory or data storagemodule(s) in the GMH. These processes that act on the MMC includeactivities and services that act on the MMC and corresponding metadata,including but not limited to Software as a Service (SaaS)-based servicesinitiated from at least one remote server computer (MAN) that aredistributed geographically remotely from the GMH and coupled thereto vianetwork connection, preferably an Internet connection. By contrast tothe prior art, the present invention advantageously provides all MMCstorage, including storage of corresponding metadata for all MMC, in theGMH, but provides a copy of the GMH-based MMC, or “original” MMC, viaweb services, to the MAN server(s) located more proximal to the clientcomputer terminal(s) than the GMH itself, thereby acceleratingprocessing services time over the network, since it providesweb-browser-based operations and editors allowing for remoteclient-based editing operations via the MAN server(s) over broadbandInternet connection therebetween. It is the MAN-based MMC or proxy MMC,which is acted upon for editing by the client. Thus, the separation ofthe MAN and the GMH advantageously provides flexibility of hosting thecontent-intensive operations at the MAN, which is closer to the clientlocation than the GMH. The MAN is located typically either at orproximal to a client site, due to bandwidth requirements for transferand/or management of the MMC. In preferred embodiments of the presentinvention, a single GMH, which is preferably centrally located for thesystem, is operable to support a multiplicity of distributed MANs, whichfurther provide for MMC storage proximal to the client for editing to bemanaged and controlled by the GMH through a single user interface, sinceit is the GMH that controls and manages the core operations and servicesvia the network through the distributed MANs.

The MMC comprises audio and/or video material, clips, frames, a seriesof frames, text, images, and combinations thereof, and from componentsor elements, subcomponents or sub-elements thereof. Also MMC may furtherinclude, scripts, documents, titles, interactive, executables, HTML, oranything that is associated with the content or essence to be edited,repurposed and/or managed within the system.

Regarding the metadata, the system and methods of the present inventionautomatically transform and group metadata corresponding to themultimedia content (MMC) at the MANs into role-based views correspondingto each client>user>role, as defined by the client and stored at theGMH, with all metadata being stored at the global media hub (GMH) viathe network for review of unique role-based metadata views through themedia access node (MAN) associated with the client, wherein theautomated grouping of metadata is provided in unique formats of viewsfor different users based on the role of the user within the client, foreach role at each client. Thus, the systems and methods are operable atthe GMH to control what the user sees, by providing an unique format forpresenting information associated with the metadata on a per role perclient basis, with the different metadata subsets being coupled topredetermined different user roles at each client.

By way of example, for a user A and a user B having predetermined levelsof access to the MMC for editing and repurposing, wherein user A anduser B are within the same client site, while each may have authorizedaccess to view the same asset (MMC and corresponding metadata), theviews provided automatically to each unique user are unique to that userrole within a given client. The system and methods of the presentinvention transform the overall metadata associated with the MMC, whichMMC is stored at the MAN(s), the overall metadata being stored at theGMH, and metadata transformed from the overall metadata into uniquerole-and-client-based views of that metadata for each MMC, that arespecific to each user in the context of that user's role within theclient.

In one case, for user A the system and methods transform the overallmetadata information into a first subset of metadata that isautomatically generated as a first metadata view and presented vianetwork connection through the MAN associated with user A at thecorresponding client computer terminal for review by the user A, basedon the role within the client for user A; and for user B, within thesame client as user A, but having a different role than user A, thepresent invention systems and methods transform the overall metadatainformation into a second subset of metadata that is automaticallygenerated as a second metadata view and presented via network connectionthrough the MAN associated with user B at the corresponding clientcomputer terminal for review by the user B, based on the role within theclient for user B, wherein the second subset of metadata information andcorresponding second metadata view is different than the first subset ofmetadata information and corresponding first metadata view. By way ofexample and not limitation, to illustrate one instance of an embodimentof the present invention, for a given MMC, the first metadata viewcorresponds to a management role at the client, and the first metadataview provides summary information of the metadata only; the secondmetadata view corresponds to an editor user role at the same client, andthe second metadata view provides an aggregation of subsets of theoverall metadata for the MMC, including a listing of contributors, clipinformation, timecodes, and transcode information, up to N number ofsubsets, based upon the role.

Thus, the present invention advantageously provides automatictransformation of the overall metadata associated with a given MMC intopredetermined configurations of subsets of the metadata appropriate forand unique to each role at each client authorized for use of the systemfor accessing views of the metadata from the GMH for presentation overthe network via the MAN to the client associated with that MAN.Therefore, the present invention solves the problem existing in theprior art about how to see or view or review the metadata associatedwith a given MMC; since the user role at the client determines levels ofaccess and levels of review type, the system transforms the overallmetadata into unique views showing different fields in differentsections of the metadata for a given MMC depending on and based on therole of the user at the client.

As illustrated in the FIGS. 1 through 8, in particular in FIG. 6, theuser interface control is situated and controlled within the GMH; theuser client login is operable via the Internet or other network having adirect connection from the client to the GMH; the user login function isoperable via a URL to the platform of the system. The user request isthen directed a UI proxy server that resides within the MAN, whichredirects to the GMH via the connection between the MAN and the GMH,which serves up the UI pages via that connection back to the user at theclient; the user interacts remotely from the GMH through the web browserUI at the client for searching, interacting with the GMH; if the userfrom the client is only acting on the metadata then that activity isdirected to the GMH only; however, if the user at the client includesactivities of editing MMC or essence and doing workflow, then the systemand methods of the present invention automatically redirect to the MANs,so that all workflow-based activity occurs at the MAN. So then to ingestcontent, the client UI displays the directory that sits in the MAN tothe user via the GMH; all loading of MMC for editing or repurposing isdone on the MAN. Thus the processes of the system appear to betransparent to the user, with the control of the MAN for the user at theclient via the GMH, as illustrated in FIG. 6. The messaging between theGMH and the MAN(s) controls the services that sits within each of theMANs. An unique ID or metadata corresponding to each MMC isautomatically generated when MMC is introduced to the system, or editedand repurposed, and the metadata is stored at the GMH for the entire theprocess, even though the MMC resides in data storage at the MANs; thisseparation of the metadata storage at the GMH and controlled access bythe GMH, with all MMC storage residing with the MANs, streamlinesediting processes and makes them more efficient, since the content isstored proximal to the client at the MANs, while the control of MMC andmetadata storage are separately and centrally done.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating one embodiment of the presentinvention, showing the system components (100), a global media hubserver computer (110) and components thereof, the media asset node (MAN)server computer (120) and components thereof, and web services providedthereby, via an Internet connection (130) between the remotely locatedGMH and MAN server computers, for providing the system and methodsaccording to the present invention. The MAN server computer furtherincludes a platform distribution (121); a craft edit module (122) thatprovides for nonlinear editing systems, such as taking a rough cutwithin the system of original MMC in a timeline or sequence butselectively using portions of the MMC based on client inputs;hierarchical storage module (123) the browse copies and thumbnails ondisc, and tape-based storage of the high resolution; streamingprocessors (124), and data storage for uploading content (125).

Regarding metadata, it is not stored at the MAN, it's only referentialat the MAN. The metadata tag locking and timeline-based metadata isstored at the GMH, which is centralized; centralized metadatamanagement, while essence storage and editing are provided at the MANs,which can sit anywhere in the system. The main services within the MANsupport ingest of the content, QC, transcode, storage of the essence,publishing of the essence, craft edit integration within the MAN (sendthe assets out and then back in). The metadata is considered in morethan one category: a general metadata, and a temporal metadata. Thegeneral metadata includes information about the MMC asset itself,technical information about the physical file, and/or business data;this general metadata is multilayered, and includes non-timecode-basedinformation, by way of example and not limitation, metadata associatedwith the program overall, individual episodes, actors, transmissiondates, etc. The temporal metadata is a subset and includes informationabout and is associated to timecode within the file or piece of essenceor MMC.

The GMH further includes at least one server computer upon which webservices elements (111) are operable, including external systemintegration module (112), for automatically managing integration betweenall system components external to the GMH, and an authentication servicemodule (113). GMH and its corresponding server computer(s) furtherinclude a business intelligence module (114) including operational datastorage thereon; an AI repository (115), a transactional repository(116), a user interface (117), a security exposure control module (118),and a core orchestration and service layer (119) further including thebusiness process orchestration service module, low level servicesmodule, and technical services module; all modules and layers of the GMHare constructed and configured to be operable with the software platformcontrolling and operating the GMH as the controlling core of the systemsand methods of the present invention, and which further include themetadata, which provides unique identifiers (IDs) for each MMC withinthe system, including original MMC, edited MMC that is injected into thesystem, including sub-componential MMC-related metadata, which indicatesthe source of the original MMC sub-component, even if it is edited andrepurposed in whole or in part, and included in a new derivative work;importantly, this metadata stored at the GMH persists with the existenceof the original MMC residing at the MAN(s).

FIG. 2 is a schematic flow diagram illustrating components of thepresent invention, generally referenced (200), showing the global mediahub (210), including GMH server computer(s) and components thereof, themedia asset node (MAN) (220) including MAN server computer andcomponents thereof, and web services provided thereby, via an Internetconnection between the centrally located GMH and remotely distributedMAN(s) in a substantially hub-and-spoke relationship, with the MANsbeing located proximal the client, for providing the system and methodsaccording to the present invention. Process flow within the GMH includesthe business intelligence server layer (211) including order managementand order processing functionality, as well as service orchestration andservice oriented architecture (SOA) application server, which flows inconnection and coupled with a business orchestration servicepresentation and user interface (UI) collectively referenced (212), BOinformation services and management architecture, all driven by a gridcontroller and RAC, in communication with the BO metadata (213), for MMCmanagement at the GMH, thereby providing a centralized database at theGMH including all metadata and the unique IDs they represent for allMMC, and a MMC operations log.

In embodiments of the present invention, the communication between theGMH and the at least one MAN, or multiplicity of MANs, occurs over anetwork (such as the Internet, or a direct network) through web servicecalls, which provides for scalability by modular, component-baseddistributed MANs for a single GMH, constructed and configured in ahub-and-spoke architectural framework providing for channel managementand workflow prioritization, wherein the messages within the system passbetween the distributed MANs and the substantially central GMH.Furthermore, the system handles multi-tenancy via a hierarchical modelof Domain>Business>User>Roles. Thus, in the case of multi-tenancy,multiple businesses or clients can be assigned to a single domain,wherein each business or client has its own set of users, and each setof users has its own roles, thereby limiting access to the MMC andcorresponding metadata within the GMH. So then the system architecturefunctions on a multi-tenant environment where one instance is able tosupport multiple organizational content with appropriate security accesscontrolled by the GMH. An indexing service provides information aboutthe distributed MMC assets residing at the MANs within the system, whichallows for streamlined editing and repurposing by the client, withoutaffecting the GMH-based metadata directly.

The business orchestration layer controls the lower level serviceswithin the MAN or provided by the MAN, to execute a series of MMCprocessing activities in a user-defined order or sequence, based uponinputs received through the client computer for operating on the MMC atthe MAN level. The business orchestration layer advantageously allowsfor manipulation and distribution of content across the on-demand,web-based system. GMH also houses a secure reverse proxy process betweenthe CP UI server and CP SOA web services (214) that flow to a web agentmodule and policy server (215). An external device (216) operates on thesystem via web services, functional for connecting the remote client tothe GMH through a UI client side, reporting client and web edit module(217). In methods of the present invention, the system is operable viaservice orchestration architecture (SOA)/BO calls via networkconnection, preferably the Internet, coupling the GMH with the MAN. TheMAN further includes components constructed and configured to beoperable for providing processes of ingest (222) of MMC, contentprocessing (221), publishing (223), video or MMC browsing (224), qualityassurance (QA) (225), and providing a secure reverse proxy (226). MANfunctionality includes importing or injecting MMC in a browse copy MMCformat (which becomes the MAN-based MMC) over a distributed network fromthe GMH onto the platform for editing by the client; transitory storageof MMC from the GMH for editing; transcoding for changing MMC from oneformat to another format; quality control; and publishing. To accelerateprocessing, the MAN-based MMC may be a low resolution copy of the“original” high resolution MMC stored at the MAN (illustrated in FIG.6), and may also include a corresponding lower resolution copy of theMMC for storage at the MAN and used for editing by the client for apredetermined period while editing processing are ongoing (or longer ifthe MMC is particularly useful to the end client). The client works offthe browse copy at the MAN, and at disc storage a high resolutionessence is provided on page storage after the editing on the browse copy(see FIG. 6).

FIG. 3 represents a schematic diagram illustrating select components ofthe system, generally referenced (300), for providing web-basedmultimedia editing and media asset storage, according to an embodimentof the present invention. These select components include, at anintegrations/portal level: broadcasting and studio, content aggregators,production and post-production components; at a supporting mediaapplications and services level: media applications and servicescomponents (310), which further include search and retrieval businessservices, editorial compliance and EDL, library management applicationsand services, content formatting and repurposing, and order managementand electronic fulfillment; at a core media services component level:core media services and middleware (320), with the metadata storage andmanagement centrally on the GMH while MMC is stored remotely on theMANs, content processing operations, such as for example,transformation, packaging and encoding, content processing schedulingand coordination, media transformation content flows, i.e., ingest andlibrary management, content manipulations and packaging; and, at a mediainfrastructure level: IT infrastructure; media specific technologies andproducts; networking infrastructure.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating functional components(generally referenced (400)) of the systems and methods of the presentinvention, illustrating tiered layers including global media hub and itsenabling components (410) including server computer(s), core framework(420), media storage and processing (430), and an operational serviceslayer (440). The enabling components layer (410) includes the followingmodules: production workflows, ingest encode processing, rough cuteditor, search and browse, video (or MMC) file transfer, timecodecapture and logging, archive management, metadata management, technicalquality control (QC), conformance & watermark, stills/scripts/documentmanagement, order management, compliance management, desktopintegration, view and approve, and syndication. The core framework layer(420) includes the following modules: reporting, SOA and multi-tenancycore, digital asset management, workflow engine, hierarchical storagemanagement, content distribution, security and audit framework. Themedia storage and processing layer includes the following modules:archive storage, cache media storage, media movement & streaming,processing & AI, and desktop tool integration. The operational servicelayer (440) includes the following modules: support desk adminfunctions, infrastructure hosting and management, applicationmanagement, design and development, and business analysis andimplementation.

FIG. 5 is another schematic diagram illustrating a distributed systemhaving a global media hub and a multiplicity of remote media asset nodes(MANs) and client or customer MAN computers located proximal the MANsfor editing and repurposing the content or MMC stored on the MANs, withthe client or customer computers being constructed and configured fornetwork-based coupling to at least one of the MAN server computersand/or GMH via a user interface, wherein the MANs are positioned incloser proximity to—closer distance to—the client computer(s) than thedistance between the client computer and the GMH. As shown, the GMHserver computers includes processing components, memory for storage ofthe MMC-corresponding metadata, and includes software operable thereonfor orchestrating the processes that act on the MMC stored at the MANsand metadata stored at the GMH, including the operations and actionsthat are initiated by the client computer terminals via browser UI andnetwork connection. The GMH (500) includes the main controller serverfor all of the MAN server computers (510, 520, 530, 540, 550) and forcontrolling and orchestrating the processes that act on the MMC andmetadata, including actions by the MAN for importing and storing abrowse copy of the MMC proximal to the client terminals (515, 525, 535,536, 537, 545, 555) for editing thereby, in addition to the MAN storageof the original MMC. The GMH and its server computers (500) maintainsecurity, holds the metadata, controls the workflows for activities onthe MMC, and manages integration processes. Also as shown, each of theshared MAN (530, 550) and customer MAN (510, 520, 540) server computersincludes processing components (511, 521, 531, 541, 551), a cachestorage component (512, 522, 532, 542, 552), and an archive storagecomponent (513, 523, 533, 543, 553), respectively; collectively withineach MAN server computer, these components are constructed andconfigured for performing the processes on the MMC stored locally on therespective MAN server computers, including the functions of importing,storing, streaming, editing, manipulating, and combinations thereof.

FIG. 6 shows a flow diagram illustrating the workflow and processes ofthe system, generally referenced (600), according to an embodiment ofthe present invention, and relational activities between the globalmedia hub (GMH) (including components or functions 620, 621, 622, 612,623, 624, 625), the media asset node (MAN) (including components orfunctions 602, 603, 604, 605, 606, 607), client browser (601) on aclient computer, and external activities and/or data sources. As shown,the workflow request initiates from a client browser (601) including abrowse editor module, HTML-based interface, and SWF file modules, whichcommunicate via SOAP, HTTPS, and over HTTPS, respectively, to a UI proxyserver (602) residing with the MAN relating to that client. The UI proxyserver passes the request by the client through the web service gateway(612) via the GMH-controller via a security proxy server (620), whichfurther includes web edit components, the UI server (621), ultimately tothe GMH SOA server (622). The UI proxy server also directs the processflow for essence stored within the MAN to the media server (603), whichalso resides within the MAN.

Also illustrated in FIG. 6, to the client, the processes and methods ofthe present invention appear seamlessly provided by the MAN; however,while all MMC or essence resides with the MAN, including functionalmodules (604) for operations of BO Essence service, which calls the MMCor essence from the disk storage (605) associated with that MAN,including all MMC, for example image, documents, browse, copy, andthumbnails; quality control (QC), video analysis, media mover, andtranscode, as illustrated. These media server (603) calls are controlledand authorized by the system via the GMH SOA server (622), whichincludes modules for order management services, BPO services,synchronous services, low level services (at MAN (604)), GDAM services,a controller layer, DAO and DAO layer, which accesses the metadatadatabase (624) within GMH via the GMH-controlled BO web services (623).Note that the GMH-controlled BO web services (623) also controls accessto the hi resolution tape storage (607) via front porch actors (606),both of which are within the MAN functionality.

FIG. 7 is a flow diagram illustrating the processes of sending media toCraft Editor, generally referenced (700) showing steps associated withcreating the work order for processing by the system of the presentinvention. Method steps illustrated in the flow diagram of FIG. 7 showthe arrangement of the system allowing editing of a browse copy of theMMC at a producer level (710), which may be operable outside the MAN,but in network-based coupling to the MAN servers for uploading media orMMC and its corresponding edit decision list (EDL) (711) created inbrowse editor and the sub-steps associated with the process of creatingsend to Craft Editor Workorder (713) culminating in a process workorderrequest (714), which necessarily requires a high resolution file (715)of the MMC and an XML file of metadata (716) corresponding to the MMCbefore the media is moved into the system level (720) including a stepfor creating medway XML and EDL, containing a placeholder and clip UMIDsand timecodes (721) and then the media is uploaded to a destination hotfolder (722) and the “media sent” result (723) as shown at the middlelevel of the figure, between the producer and the editor levels on thetop and bottom of the figure. At the Producer level the step of “processwork order request” (714) for sending MMC to Craft Editor, requires thecreation of a high resolution (hi res) file of the MMC and an XML fileof metadata corresponding to the MMC, in order for the media to be sentand received into the system for inclusion as a media asset stored atthe MAN. At the editor level (730) the steps of receive notification(731) moves the process forward via open medway application (732), movemedia or MMC to hot folder to destination folder (733), medway convertsto target format (734), and then automatically allowing the user to dragthe MMC into Craft Edit Bin (735), which concludes the process to allowthe media or MMC to be received (736) for editing by the client.

FIG. 8 is a flow diagram illustrating the processes of sending mediafrom Craft Editor, generally referenced (800) showing steps associatedwith automatically processing to import the media asset or content froma production level (810), or edited multimedia content (MMC) by thesystem of the present invention, at the starting point of Craft Editcomplete (811) and exporting craft edit to Medway (812) for storage atthe MAN included at level Mosaic (830), which step (812) requires thecreation of a hi res file (821) and corresponding AFF/XML sequence file(822); note that the exporting step (812) reclaims the placeholder andclip UMIDs in the returned AFF/XML. The Medway level (820) includessteps of receive media (823) converting to another format (824)preferred by the system at the next level (830) and stores media in hotfolder (825), which requires the creation of the high resolution file(827) and XML file of metadata (828) for storage within the system atthe MAN and GMH levels, respectively. This level processing ends withmedia in hot folder (826) and begins the next level (830) with mediaavailable at step (821). If it is MMC from Craft Edit media, adecision-based automated direction by the system at (832) routes to anautomated process by the system of the present invention to Import assetautomatically (833), including sub-steps to load media from watch folder(A) to place media in return placeholder (B) to store media at MAN inthe system (C), storing clip UMIDs in the geneology strata (D) andprocess workflow request (E) ending with the media stored (834) andreceive notification of work order completion (844) and join pointresult (845) at producer level (840). If the edited MMC is not CraftEdit media then at the producer level steps of receive emailnotification (841), create import media workorder (842) and processworkorder request (843) result in the join point (845).

As set forth in this description, it is the MAN-based MMC that is actedupon for editing by the client, including its extraction of the browsecopy from the MAN for editing outside, such as sending the MMC to CraftEditor through a workorder, as illustrated in FIG. 7; and then sendingedited MMC from Craft Editor, illustrated in FIG. 8, wherein the editedMMC is uploaded to its destination in a hot folder and then receivedinto the system for storage at the MAN, if and only if a correspondingmetadata to the edited MMC is included with the edited MMC, so that theedited MMC metadata is received and stored centrally on the GMH. Thus,the separation of the MAN and the GMH advantageously providesflexibility of hosting the content-intensive operations at the MAN,which is closer to the client location than the GMH. The MAN is locatedtypically either at or proximal to a client site, due to bandwidthrequirements for transfer and/or management of the MMC.

Furthermore, the at least one remote server computer (MAN) includes amultiplicity of server computers in geographic distribution from theGMH, wherein at least one client computer terminal is coupled inelectronic network communication to one of the MANs, and wherein thedistance from any of the at least one client computer terminals to theMAN is less than the distance from those same terminals to the GMHserver computer. Advantageously, this configuration of client terminalsin closer proximity to the MANs than to the GMH provides for greatlyimproved editing speed, because preferred embodiments of the presentinvention provides for storage of a copy of the MMC at the MANs closestto the client terminals for editing that copy by the client terminalinstead of having a much more remote communication distance between theclient terminal and the GMH.

The GMH further includes a security exposure control module, businessservices modules, and a user interface module, that is viewable on auser interface of a remote display connected via a network, such as theInternet, and that provides for a multiplicity of interactivefunctionality on the GMH, including controlling all functionality of thesystem through the central GMH, including review and approval, librarymanagement, rough cut, logging, user administration, finding assets,searching, reporting view, view proxy, order receipt management, fileingest, publishing, dashboard, capture asset information, view assetinformation, workflow tracking, folders, clipping, and combinationsthereof. Additionally, the systems and methods of the present inventionprovide for managing MMC by the MAN and their interaction with the GMH,wherein each MAN, which includes computer server(s) having a processingunit capable of executing instructions, either directly or received froma client or customer computer terminal via the client browser and webinterface, and wherein the MAN further include a search moduleprogrammed and operable to searching for MMC by the client terminal. TheMAN server computer-based storage modules include both disk storage(FIG. 6 at 605) and tape storage (607), and are further programmed tooperate as a content center for the client web-based MMC editingactivity, wherein that activity by the client terminal acting on the MMCis preferably acting on the local copy of the MMC stored at the MAN, andis not directly editing or acting on the GMH, or the metadata storedthereon. The MAN storage module closest to the client terminal providesfor management of the client MMC within the MAN server computer,including any client activity on the client MMC (MMC imported from theGMH server computer for acting on by the client user at the clientterminal), by way of example, allowing the client user to add, delete,view, annotate, comment on, modify, edit, organize, arrange, categorize,label, send, receive the MMC, components of MMC, and/or sub-componentsof MMC material (such as thumbnail representations or images of MMC);again, advantageously with the systems and methods of the presentinvention, it is this MAN-based MMC (or MMC copy or MMC proxy) havingclosest proximity to the client terminal (as compared with the GMH) thataccelerates the processing of all MMC in the online, network, orweb-based environment.

Additional processes that originate at the client terminal computer orMAN server computer directed at the MMC stored on the MANs includesearch, tracking, reporting, transcoding, translation, video-to-textrepresentation, speech-to-text representation, etc. The client user canupload content to the system; user logs onto the MMC mover module, whichresides in the GMH or in a MAN; it depends upon network connections, butpreferably sitting within the GMH. Content is either provided physicallyto the MAN, or via logging onto a web-based browser, send selectedcontent to a platform, and then ingested into the platform.Significantly, there is a prerequisite of metadata including an uniqueidentifier corresponding to the MMC, to determine where to save it. TheGMH controller functions will not allow content to be loaded unless theMMC or content further includes its unique ID metadata, which is createdwith the creation of new MMC, and persists indefinitely (stored at theGMH) for each original MMC, its subcomponents or sub-elements, andsurvives editing and repurposing for MMC or its subcomponents orsub-elements, if they are included in edited MMC that it reintroduced tothe system via the network the MANs.

Methods of the present invention for editing multimedia content (MMC)and creating derivative works from multimedia content include the stepsof: (a) providing at least one remote media asset node (MAN) having MANserver computer(s) that are associated with at least one client forediting a multimedia content (MMC), the at least one remote MANconstructed and configured in electronic communication over a network toa global media hub (GMH) including GMH server computer(s) having aprocessor, a memory, and software operable thereon to control theprocesses that act on the MMC stored at the MANs, and the GMH operablefor storing metadata associated with the MMC and the GMH operable forcontrolling activities on the MMC at the MANs; (b) from a user interfaceon a display coupled to the at least one remote MAN associated with aclient site and positioned in geographic proximity to the client site,acting on the MMC via a browser-based user interface (UI) at the client;(c) editing the MMC; and (d) introducing the edited MMC to the MANs withcorresponding edited-MMC metadata to the GMH, wherein the metadatastored at the GMH provides unique IDs or unique metadata for each MMCunit. Also, the method may further include the steps of: (d) the GMHstoring metadata from the original MMC and the edited MMC metadata, and(e) the MAN storing the original MMC and the edited MMC. Additionally,the system further includes an original MMC, a browse copy MMC that is alower resolution copy of the original MMC, and an edited MMC, and theMAN server computer is further operable to perform the following steps:(e) storing a copy of the original MMC, and an edited MMC; (f) providingan edit user interface (EUI) at a client terminal for communicating withthe MAN for editing the original MMC to form the edited MMC; and (g)introducing edited-MMC metadata (metadata unique to the edited MMC) tothe GMH for storage at the GMH.

Certain modifications and improvements will occur to those skilled inthe art upon a reading of the foregoing description. The above-mentionedexamples are provided to serve the purpose of clarifying the aspects ofthe invention and it will be apparent to one skilled in the art thatthey do not serve to limit the scope of the invention. All modificationsand improvements have been deleted herein for the sake of concisenessand readability but are properly within the scope of the presentinvention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for using metadata of multimedia content(MMC) in a network-based editing system, the system comprising at leastone remote media asset node (MAN) having a server computer and a globalmedia hub (GMH) having a GMH server computer, the at least one remoteMAN in electronic communication over a network with the global media hub(GMH), the at least one remote MAN located at or proximal to at leastone client of the system, the at least one client having a plurality ofusers, the method comprising: transforming the metadata with the GMH fora given one of the MMC into a multiplicity of metadata subsets,including at least a primary metadata subset, and a second metadatasubset, wherein the primary metadata subset and the second metadatasubset are different; the at least one client determining which users ofthe plurality of users can use the system; the at least one clientdetermining different user roles for the users which have beendetermined to use the system; storing the different user roles at theGMH; coupling, at the GMH, the primary metadata subset to a first one ofthe different user roles and coupling the second metadata subset to asecond one of the different user roles; receiving a request into the GMHvia the network from a first one of the users of the at least one clientwho can use the system, the first user having the first or the secondone of the different user roles determined by the at least one client;transforming and grouping with the GMH the metadata into a uniquerole-based view of the metadata that corresponds to the first user'srole at the at least one client; controlling with the GMH all editingprocesses performed at the at least one remote MAN on the MMC; storingedited MMC at the at least one remote MAN; and storing metadataassociated with the MMC edited at the at least one remote MAN at theGMH.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the metadata includes generalmetadata and temporal metadata components.
 3. The method of claim 1,further comprising generating with the GMH a report comprising theunique role-based view of the metadata that corresponds to the firstuser's role at the at least one client.
 4. The method of claim 1,further comprising generating at the GMH and transmitting a primary viewvia the network for review associated with the at least one client basedon matching the first user's role at the client, the primary view beingunique to the role associated with the first user at the at least oneclient, and the primary view including the primary metadata subset only,thereby providing a unique view of the metadata corresponding to therole of the first user at the at least one client.
 5. The method ofclaim 4, wherein the generating and transmitting of the primary view isbased on matching the first user's role at the at least one client withrules stored at the GMH, the primary view being unique to the roleassociated with the first user at the at least one client, and theprimary view including the primary metadata subset only, therebyproviding a unique view of the metadata corresponding to the role of thefirst user at the at least one client.
 6. The method of claim 1, whereinthe receiving of the request into the GMH originates through a userinterface at the at least one client.
 7. The method of claim 1, whereinthe receiving of the request into the GMH originates from the at leastone client through a web services request.
 8. The method of claim 1,wherein the the MMC includes an original MMC, a browse copy MMC that isa copy of the original MMC, and the edited MMC, and further comprising:storing the original MMC and the browse copy MMC at the at least oneremote MAN; and storing metadata corresponding to the original MMC andthe browse copy MMC at the GMH.
 9. The method of claim 1, wherein themetadata subsets include information from the metadata from an originalMMC, and a previously edited MMC.
 10. The method of claim 1, wherein theuser roles for the at least one client are configurable based uponclient inputs and a role listing is stored at the GMH for controllingmetadata access and the role-based views unique to each user's role atthe at least one client.
 11. The method of claim 1, further comprisingstoring at the GMH metadata corresponding to an original MMC and apreviously edited MMC, and controlling the metadata role-based viewsprovided for each role at the at least one client.
 12. A method forediting multimedia content (MMC) and providing role-based metadata viewsassociated with the MMC, the method comprising: providing a systemincluding at least one remote media asset node (MAN) including a MANserver computer for editing MMC stored at the at least one remote MAN,the at least one remote MAN in electronic communication over a networkwith a global media hub (GMH) including a GMH server computer, the atleast one remote MAN located at or proximal to at least one client ofthe system, the at least one client having a plurality of users; actingon the MMC with a user interface at the at least one remote MAN asdirected from the GMH server computer, the user interface being on adisplay coupled to the at least one remote MAN; editing a copy of theMMC stored at the at least one remote MAN; controlling with the GMH theediting performed at the at least one remote MAN; generating edited-MMCmetadata associated with and corresponding to the edited MMC; storingthe edited-MMC at the at least one remote MAN; storing the edited-MMCmetadata at the GMH; the at least one client determining which users ofthe plurality of users can use the system; the at least one clientdetermining different user roles for the users which have beendetermined to use the system; storing the different user roles at theGMH; receiving a request via the client UI by a first one of the usersof the at least one client who can use the system, the first user havinga first one of the different user roles determined by the at least oneclient to review metadata for the MMC; verifying with the GMHauthorization of the first user based on the first user's role at the atleast one client to review the metadata for the MMC; transforming withthe GMH the metadata for generating a primary metadata view associatedwith the MMC based on the first user's role at the at least one client,wherein the primary metadata view is unique to the first user's role atthe at least one client.
 13. The method of claim 12, further comprisingtransforming with the GMH the metadata for generating a second metadataview associated with the MMC based on a second one of the different userroles, wherein the second metadata view being unique to the second oneof the different user roles.
 14. The method of claim 12, furthercomprising transforming with the GMH the metadata for generating Nmetadata views associated with the MMC based on the N roles, whereineach of the N metadata views is unique to the N roles for the at leastone client.
 15. A system for editing multimedia content (MMC) andproviding unique role-based views of metadata associated with thecontent, the system comprising: a global media hub (GMH) including a GMHserver computer; at least one remote MAN including a MAN server computerfor editing the MMC, the at least one remote MAN in electroniccommunication over a network with the GMH, the at least one remote MANlocated at or proximal to at least one client of the system, the atleast one client having a plurality of users; and a display coupled tothe at least one remote MAN, the display having a user interface (UI),the UI being operable for editing the MMC stored at the at least oneremote MAN server computer; wherein the at least one client determineswhich users of the plurality of users can use the system; wherein the atleast one client determines different user roles for the users whichhave been determined to use the system; wherein the GMH controls theediting of the MMC at the at least one remote MAN; wherein the editedMMC is stored at the at least one remote MAN; wherein metadataassociated with the MMC edited at the at least one remote MAN is storedat the GMH; and wherein the GMH generates a multiplicity of metadatasubsets for presentation of unique metadata views that correspond to thedifferent user roles of users of the at least one client who can use thesystem, the different user roles being stored at the GMH.
 16. The systemof claim 15, wherein the MMC includes an original MMC, a browse copyMMC, and the edited MMC, which are all stored at the at least one remoteMAN, and wherein the at least one remote MAN allows the at least oneclient to act on the MMC as directed by the GMH and transmits metadatacorresponding to the edited MMC to the GMH for storage.
 17. The systemof claim 15, wherein there are N metadata subsets providing N uniqueviews of the metadata, each of the unique views corresponding todifferent user roles at the at least one client.
 18. The system of claim15, wherein the UI resides at a client terminal coupled with the atleast one remote MAN.